Blood tests are important to check a person’s health. Different types of laboratory tests are conducted to check the overall health status.
Lab assistants would test a person’s blood, urine, or body fluids such as gastric acid, other body tissues, stool, etc.
The final lab test report will represent if a person is within the average lab values. Everything you need to know about the Normal Lab Values is given in this article.
What Do You Mean by Normal Lab Values?

Normal Lab Values – What Do You Mean by Normal Lab Values
The Food and Drug Administration sets the Normal Lab Values for each test in upper and lower limits. Since the normal lab values may vary, the normal lab values in lab reports come in the range between upper and lower limits. Lab Values depend upon the tests prescribed by the physician.
How Do Lab Tests Prescribe?
Lab Tests are prescribed by physicians to patients as per the symptoms they have recently developed.
The physician may prescribe more than one lab test to confirm the diseases. The lab tests may be taken periodically to check the progress of the disease as per the physician’s guidance.
Firstly, a doctor collects information about the patient’s symptoms. After that, he would collect the blood sample or any other fluid from the patient’s body and send it to the laboratory for testing.
Lab assistants would also come to collect the blood sample right in the clinic so you need not go anywhere. In some cases, you may be asked to visit the lab and get tested personally.
The lab assistant only tests your blood samples upon receiving the doctor’s prescription. There are some rules and regulations which every lab assistant must follow in order to maintain the laws.
Each lab collects the information about the patients and saves their previous and current sample reports in their database. If needed, they can compare the previous lab reports and current lab reports to see the changes and progress.
What Factors Affect the Normal Lab Values?
The lab results may vary from person to person; however, the Normal Lab Values are the same. A persona’s sex, age, general health, medical history, and current diseases are the factors that can affect the normal lab values of the patient.
Besides this, what you eat, how your body reacts, and what laboratory you choose, may also affect the final lab reports.
Always choose the trusted laboratory when it comes to conducting blood tests or any other lab tests. Trusted laboratories will give you accurate results which can help doctors diagnose the diseases.
The regulating body for Normal Lab Values is FDA i.e. Food and Drug Administration. They provide test kits and other equipment manufactured commercially in the country.
They also check the standards and other regulations before they approve the manufacturers of particular equipment or test kits.
Hematology – Red Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells- The normal range of the red blood cell count of a person is listed below in the table.
Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
RBC | Male | 4.2 – 5.6 10^6 / µL |
RBC | Female | 3.8 – 5.1 10^6 / µL |
RBC | Child | 3.5 – 5.0 10^6 / µL |
Hematology – White Blood Cells
White Blood Cells- The normal range of the White Blood Cell count of a person are listed below in the table.
Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
WBC | Male | 3.8 – 11.0 10^3 / mm3 |
WBC | Female | 3.8 – 11.0 10^3 / mm3 |
WBC | Child | 10.0 10^3 / mm3 |
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin reports are prescribed to confirm the effects of the diseases on red blood cells or hemoglobin counts of the person.
Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
Hgb | Male | 14 – 18 g/dL |
Hgb | Female | 11 – 16 g/dL |
Hgb | Child | 10 – 14 g/dL |
Hgb | Newborn | 15 – 25 g/dL |
General Chemistry
General Chemistry lab reports are prescribed to check the overall functionality of the body’s components.
Laboratory Test | Normal Lab Values |
acetone | 0.3 – 2.0 mg% |
albumin | 3.5 – 5.0 gm/dL |
alkaline phosphatase | 32 – 110 U/L |
anion gap | 5 – 16 mEq/L |
ammonia | 11 – 35 µmol/L |
amylase | 50 – 150 U/dL |
AST,SGOT- Male | 7 – 21 U/L |
AST,SGOT- Female | 6 – 18 U/L |
bilirubin | 0.0 – 0.4 mg/dL |
bilirubin | total 0.2 – 1.4 mg/dL |
BUN | 6 – 23 mg/dL |
calcium | 8 – 11 mg/dL |
carbon dioxide | 21 – 34 mEq/L |
chloride | 96 – 112 mEq/L |
Creatine- Male | 0.2 – 0.6 mg/dL |
Creatine- Female | 0.6 – 1.0 mg/dL |
creatinine | 0.6 – 1.5 mg/dL |
folic acid | 2.0 – 21 ng/mL |
glucose | 65 – 99 mg/dL |
HDL- Male | 25 – 65 mg/dL |
HDL- Female | 38 – 94 mg/dL |
iron | 52 – 169 µg/dL |
lactic acid | 0.4 – 2.3 mEq/L |
lactate | 0.3 – 2.3 mEq/L |
lipase | 10 – 140 U/L |
magnesium | 1.5 – 2.5 mg/dL |
osmolarity | 276 – 295 mOsm/kg |
potassium | 3.5 – 5.5 mEq/L |
phosphorus | 2.2 – 4.8 mg/dL |
parathyroid hormone | 12 – 68 pg/mL |
sodium | 135 – 148 mEq/L |
SGPT | 8 – 32 U/L |
TSH | < 9 µU/mL |
total protein | 5 – 9 gm/dL |
thyroxine | 5 – 13 µg/dL |
thyroglobulin | < 55 ng/mL |
uric acid- Female | 2.5 – 6.6 mg/dL |
uric acid- Male | 3.5 – 7.7 mg/dL |
Cholesterol – LDL | < 130 mg/dL desirable |
Cholesterol- HDL | 30 – 75 mg/dL |
Cholesterol- Total | < 200 mg/dL desirable |
Triglycerides- Female | > 35 – 135 mg/dL |
Triglycerides- Male | > 40 – 170 mg/dL |
Coagulation Tests
Coagulation tests are prescribed to check the role of proteins for the formation of blood clots. Different types of coagulation tests are prescribed in the below-given table.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
APTT | 21 – 35 seconds |
ACT | 90 – 130 seconds |
PT | 10- 14 seconds |
PTT | 32- 45 seconds |
platelets | 140,000 – 450,000 /ml |
plasminogen | 62 – 130% |
fibrinogen | 160 – 450 mg/dL |
FSP | < 10 µg/dL |
thrombin | 11- 15 secons |
bleeding time | 3-7 minutes |
Urine Tests
Urine tests are prescribed to diagnose kidney disorders and metabolic-related problems. Different types of urine tests are listed in the given table.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
pH | 4.6- 8.0 |
Color | straw |
specific gravity | 1.003 – 1.040 |
C1 | < 8 mEq/L |
K | < 8 mEq/L |
Na | 10 – 40 mEq/L |
protein | 1 – 15 mg/dL |
osmolality | 80 – 1300 mOsm/L |
amylase | 250 – 1100 IU / 24 hr |
creatinine | 1 – 2 g / 24 hr |
chloride | 110 – 250 mEq / 24 hr |
calcium | 100 – 250 mg / 24 hr |
creatine clearance- Female | 80 – 130 mL / min |
creatine clearance- Female | 10 – 20 mg / kg / 24 hr |
creatine clearance- Male | 100 – 140 mL / min |
creatine clearance- Male | 16 – 26 mg / kg / 24 hr |
osmolality | 450 – 900 mOsm / kg |
magnesium | 6 – 9 mEq / 24 hr |
protein | 0 – 150 mg / 24 hr |
potassium | 35 – 85 mEq / 24 hr |
phosphorus | 0.9 – 1.3 g / 24 hr |
uric acid | 240 – 755 mg / 24 hr |
urea nitrogen | 10 – 22 gm / 24 hr |
sodium | 30 – 280 mEq / 24 hr |
Neurological Values
Neurological Tests are prescribed to confirm any type of neurological disorder. The types of tests to check neurological disorders are listed below.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
cerebral perfusion pressure | 70 – 90 mm Hg |
intracranial pressure | 5 – 15 mm Hg or 5 – 10 cm H2O |
Neurological values and their tests require venous values or arterial values. The different types of values of venous and arterial tests are listed below.
Venous Values
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
pH | 7.31 – 7.41 |
PaCO2 | 41 – 51 mm Hg |
PaO2 | 30 – 40 mm Hg |
BE | 0 to +4 mmol/L |
O2 | Saturation 60 – 85% |
HCO3 | 22 – 29 mEq/L |
Arterial Values
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
O2 | saturation 96 – 100% |
PaO2 | 85 – 100 mm Hg |
BE | -2 to +2 mmol/L |
HCO3 | 22 – 26 mEq/L |
PaCO2 | 35 – 45 mm Hg |
Hemodynamic Parameters
Physicians measure hemodynamic parameters frequently to check the blood flow and blood circulation in human bodies. The types of hemodynamic parameters and tests are listed below in the table.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
cardiac output | 4 – 8 LPM |
cardiac index | 2.5 – 4.2 L / min / m2 |
right ventricular stroke work index | 7 – 12 g / m2 / beat |
left ventricular stroke work index | 40 – 70 g / m2 / beat |
mean arterial pressure | 70 – 105 mm Hg |
pulmonary vascular resistance index | 255 – 285 dynes / sec / cm to the negative 5 |
pulmonary vascular resistance | 155 – 255 dynes / sec / cm to the negative 5 |
systolic arterial pressure | 90 – 140 mm Hg |
systemic vascular resistance index | 1970 – 2390 dynes/sec / cm to the negative 5 |
systemic vascular resistance | 900 – 1600 dynes/sec / cm to the negative 5 |
stroke volume index | 40 – 85 mL / m2 / beat |
stroke volume | 60 – 100 mL/beat |
ejection fraction | 60 – 75% |
central venous pressure | 2 – 6 mm Hg; 2.5 – 12 cm H2O |
diastolic arterial pressure | 60 – 90 mm Hg |
central venous pressure | 2 – 6 mm Hg; 2.5 – 12 cm H2O |
ejection fraction | 60 – 75% |
right atrial pressure | 4 – 6 mm Hg |
left arterial pressure | 4 – 12 mm Hg |
pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure | 8 – 10 mm Hg |
pulmonary artery wedge pressure | 4 – 12 mm Hg |
pulmonary artery pressure | 10 – 20 mm Hg |
pulmonary artery diastolic | 5 – 15 mm Hg |
pulmonary artery systolic | 15 – 30 mm Hg |
right ventricular end-diastolic pressure | 0 – 8 mm Hg |
Blood Sugar Tests
Blood Sugar Tests are prescribed to check the sugar values in the blood. The types of blood sugar tests and their values are listed below.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
Fasting Blood Sugar | < 10 mg/dL |
Post-prandial Blood Sugar | < 180 mg/dL |
Random Blood Sugar | < 200 mg/ dL |
Thyroid Function Tests
The thyroid is a gland located in the neck area which is responsible for several functions in the human body. Different types of Thyroid Function Tests are prescribed to confirm the type of thyroid disorder that causes different types of problems in the body.
Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
T3 | 80- 180 ng/ dL |
T4 | 4.6- 12 ng/ dL |
TSH | 0.5- 6 uU/ mL |
T3RU | 23% – 37% |
See Also
Medical Laboratory Technician Scholarships
Cross Cultural Communication Training for Physicians
Best Medical Terminology Books
Reference links:
https://www.joyce.edu/blog/nclex-lab-values/
https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/generalprofessionalissues/95071
https://www.meditec.com/resourcestools/medical-reference-links/normal-lab-values
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